Windmill



(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. T. P. BENTON.

' WINDMILL. No. 269,169. Patented Deo.19, 1882.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS P. BENTON, OF LA. CROSSE, WISCONSIN.

WINDMILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,169, dated December 19,. 1882.

Application filed April 26, 1882. (No model.)

7 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS P. BENTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at La Grosse, in the county of La (lrosse and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Windmills; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters. and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of windmills in which the wind -wheel is provided with a series of pivoted wings or vanes; and it consists in the construction and novel arrangement of one or more spring-vanes, projecting beyond the rim of the wheel and connected to a circle, which connects the edges of the wheel-vanes for throwing the same automatically in and out of the wind.

It also. consists in thedevice for starting and stopping the wheel; and, further, in transmittin g the power from the wheel-shaft to the perpendicular shaft by means of a double universal-joint coupling, all as hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, which fully illustrate my invention, Figure l is a representation of a side view of my windmill. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof, and Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view. 1

' Like letters indicate like parts in the several views. p I

The letter A represents the frame or tower of a windmill, provided with suitable boxes or is secured the wind-wheel E, constructed in any suitable manner, and provided with a series of pivoted vanes, G G. The rear edges of these vanes are connected by means of a circle, d, and one or more of the vanes are at their front edges, by short rods 6, connected to one or more springs, j, which are fastened to the front of the wheel. These springs project beyond the rimof the wheel E, and to their outer ends are secured vanes H for regulating the speed of the wheel. When the wind blows too hard the spring-vanes H are forced to one side, turning the wheel-vanes out of the wind, so as to make the wheel run slower, and as soon as the wind slacks the springs f throw the vanes in the wind again. The circle d, that connects all the wheel-vanes G, is, by rods t, connected to two elbow-levers, h, pivoted to posts on the inner side of the wheel, and the other ends of these elbow-levers have rods k, extending through suitable guides to near the tube a. On this tube is placed a cone, m,which is, by rods 42 n and pivoted link 8, connected to one end of an elbow-lever, I, pivoted to the side of the frame O. From the other end of this elbow-lever a rod, p, passes downward through a groove in the tube B to the ground. By pushing upward on the rod 19 the lover I is turned so as to force the cone m outward on the tube a, and the cone mthereby pushes the rods 7a 7a outward, whereby the vanes G are turned on their pivots entirely out of the wind. By pulling down the rod 10 the cone m is withdrawn, allowing the springs f to throw the vanes into the wind again, and thus stopping and starting the wheel at will.

J represents the vertical rod or shaft which passes through the tube B and connects with the machinery to be driven. The upper end of this rod is connected with the inner end of the wheel-shaft b by means of a double universal joint-coupling, L, as shown in the drawings, dispensing with all gearing at this point and transmitting the power without causing the wheel-to turn out of the wind.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the pivoted vanes G, connected together, as described, of the connecting-rods e, springs f, and vanes H, for automatically regulating or governing the speed of the wind-wheel, substantially as here in set forth.

2. The combination, with the pivoted vanes Gr, connected by the circle d, of the rods '0', elbow-levers h, rods k, sliding cone m, connecting rods and links a s, elbow-lever I, and

ICC

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS P. BENTON.

Witnesses:

J. E. PARKER, W. E. HOWE. 

